Char-Lan District High School Receives
$10,000 RBC Learn to Play Project Grant

(Pictured
above: The Royal Bank of Canada officially presented a $10,000 cheque
Friday to Char-Lan District High School. The money represented funds
from an RBC Learn to Play Project grant which will allow Char-Lan
students to experience archery, dance and golf.)

By Mark Calder

(Williamstown) – Students at Char-Lan District High School will enjoy dance, archery and golf thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC).

Alexandria
RBC Branch Manager Ann Bissonnette officially presented a cheque to
Char-Lan Principal Catherine Cooper Friday during a ceremony in the
school gymnasium. Given as part of the RBC Learn to Play Project,
this grant will help students increase their physical activity by
allowing them to enjoy archery, dance and golf. Dance will begin in
December, while archery and golf will start in the spring.

The hope is to increase physical activity among students by providing alternate activities they will enjoy, said Cooper.

“And
kids that are physically fit are healthier, happier and are more
successful in school and outside of school,” she said of the benefits
associated with the grant.

The school will use the funds to hire
professional instructors and to purchase equipment. Teachers will also
take part so they can run the activities at Char-Lan after the grant
period ends next October.

RBC created Learn to Play to encourage physical fitness among Canadian youth.

“RBC
has a longstanding history of giving back to this great community,”
said Bissonnette. “The grant not only continues our commitment to
children and youth through the RBC Kids Pledge,
but more importantly, encourages Char-Lan students to learn the value
of physical fitness to help them develop the confidence and skills
needed to become happy, healthy and active for life."

Activities chosen are designed to reach out to students who may not be interested in traditional school sports or clubs.

“I
picked archery because it’s not a sport we currently offer at school,”
explained Cooper, who applied to the program on behalf of the school.
“We have quite a few hunters among our students and many are interested
in archery and medieval culture.”

Golf was selected because it is a
sport in which they may participate later in life through charity
tournaments or business gatherings.

“And it’s a sport that will
last a lifetime because it’s something they can play until they’re in
their 80s and 90s,” said Cooper.

Dance is being offered because
many students have an interest in it, said Cooper. The school plans to
provide a varied dance program – including jazz, hip-hop and other
styles.

The students finished the day celebrating sports by
signing up to play broomball, dance, dodgeball, fitness, ping pong, bean
bag toss, foosball and chess.